Ecstasy

Ah. She’s an introvert. The thought is startling, because of the amount of times she’s come into my room without asking. I wonder how much strength that took, even if she was doing it on Alex’s orders. Maybe it wasn’t just Alex.

Maybe she actually gives a damn.

Maybe I’m hoping for too much.

“Anyway, when I was taking so many classes my freshman year that I had to get special permission to have that many credit hours—not to mention I was in the pre-pharm club, leading a remedial biology group and helping out one of my professors with her night class—I just had a breakdown.”

I blink at her, stu

“I passed out in my chem lab.” She gestures vaguely with her hand, half-laughing, half-wincing. “Right on the floor.”

My mouth drops open again.

“Turns out, my blood sugar was low because I hadn’t eaten anything in like, three days. I was too busy.”

I bite my tongue, cocking my head and honestly intrigued. Little Kylie Jones. I had no fucking idea.

“Moral of the story, Zara? Everyone’s a little weird.” She picks up her fork again, but this time she just stabs her porkchop, smiling a little as she does.

Impressive.

“You just have to own it.”

I read something like that in a dark romance book once back when I used to read fiction, about owning things before they own you. Corrupt by Penelope Douglas. It was a good fucking book, but I’ve never been good at owning shit.

Especially when it comes to my own corrupted soul.

I’d rather hide.

Still, I’m happy Kylie opened up to me. I’m not so sure I feel the same about reciprocating, because I bullshitted my way through that, and I’m not so sure we’re friends at all considering, according to Eli, she’s hiding a big fucking secret, but still.

This means something to me, whether it should or not.

“Thanks, Kylie,” I tell her, and I do mean it. “And thanks for di

She stares at me like I’m stupid. “It was packaged pork chops and peas in a can, Zara.” She rolls her eyes, stabbing her porkchop again. “Don’t thank people for things they don’t deserve thanks for.”

Yeah. One day, when I’m sober, I’ll be sure to be real friends with my roommate.

One day.